Iovamann (Lusotannan Levy Skirmishers)
|-|EB1= |-|EB2= EB1: Iovamann are armed with several sude, which is a wooden javelin, sharpened and fire-hardened on both ends. EB2: Fast moving, nimble and often deadly, the Cateramuniti are the skirmishers of any Iberian force. Used to harass and antagonise the enemy with showers of iron-tipped javelins, they weave to and fro, avoiding direct hand to hand combat whenever possible. Description The Iovamann (Eev-ah-mun; "Fighters of necessity") are formed from some of the poorest members of Lusotannan society, those who live off their flocks of sheep and goats at the top of the mountains of Lusitania. They are armed with several "sude", which is a wooden javelin, sharpened and fire-hardened on both ends. While this would seem ineffective, it can play havoc with lightly armoured enemies. They have only a coarse wool tunic for protection, so they are among the most vulnerable soldiers to cavalry or missile counterfire. Luckily, they have a nearly inhuman ability to hide in tall grass and thick terrain, allowing them to ambush enemy columns and seemingly disappear into thin air. They are armed only with a knife for melee, so they must be guarded from any hand to hand combat. Historically, these warbands were the lightest and among the most 'annoying' harassment troops that the Romans had to deal with. They caused many casualties before they retired back into the night or hills and attacked again the following day. When the Romans imported good light cavalry to help in their wars against the Iberian tribes, their job got a whole lot harder! ----- The Iberian skirmishers are composed of the poorest and youngest members of the peoples from the Iberian Peninsula, they spend their lives eking out an existence wherever it may be found: watching the cattle, hunting, looking for the patronage of a powerful chief, meeting as a form of religious rite of passage and creating bands of warrior youths, etc. When they enter battle, these Hispanic warrior carry with them not only javelins but their obligation to the chief, in this way they make their very best efforts to obtain their chief's backing in order to get a best part of the loot and in order to go to their leader's banquets to prosper, nevertheless if their situation do not improved, they will become in casual bandits or in mercenaries in order to flee poverty. Fast moving, nimble and often deadly, they harass and antagonize the enemy with showers of iron-tipped javelins with amentum they weave to and fro, avoiding direct hand to hand combat whenever possible as their total lack of body armour and light caetrae shields would leave them at a grave disadvantage against better armed troops, they weave to and fro, avoiding direct hand to hand combat whenever possible as their total lack of body armour and light caetrae shields would leave them at a grave disadvantage against better armed troops. The Hispanic skirmishers are placed at the forefront of a battle line to madden the enemy with missiles until an ill-chosen attack is provoked, at which point they retreat rapidly behind the lines of their comrades only to attack once again from another angle. Historically, light auxiliary forces that fought in skirmish order played an important role (but not a decisive role) in the battles during the 4th-1st century BC from Greece to Lusitania. Many of the societies from the Iberian Peninsula, had mutual obligations and benefits, where land, protection and goods were provided by a chief, in exchange for work and occasional military service as levied troops (clientela and devotio). Younger members of oppida,castra or small villages under the rule of a major city, were often encouraged or sometimes forced by economic circumstances to join bands of young men, whose principal activity was raiding other areas, theft and the demonstration of martial prowess before their peers, or facilitate the work as a mercenary. Usage Cheap, numerous and effective skirmishers. The Iovamann are great skirmishers and can be used to bait foolish enemy units into chasing them or letting them take the brunt of missile fire for important units. Their javelins are highly dangerous when attacking a enemy from their shieldless side or rear. In Europa Barbarorum 2, they now have the ability to hide anywhere, making them even more dangerous and making ambushes much easier. Like all levy skirmishers however, they are weak in melee and fast cavalry will easily chase them and rout them off. Category:Units Category:Aedui Category:Arverni Category:Arevaci Category:Casse Category:Getai Category:Lusotannan Category:Swȇbōz Category:Eleutheroi